Frequently asked questions about residence permits for skilled workers

You need a residence permit to be allowed to work in Norway. Normally you will need to find a job first. The type of residence permit you should apply for depends on your expertise and the type of work you will be doing. You can read more about the different types of work permits here: Want to apply: Work immigration - UDI.

If you have completed vocational training or a degree in higher education, you can apply for a residence permit as a skilled worker. You must normally either have been offered a job in advance or run your own business.

To obtain a residence permit as a skilled worker, you must meet a number of requirements. For one thing, the work you are going to do must require qualifications as a skilled worker; you must be qualified to do the work required of you.

You can find more information about the different residence permits for skilled workers and the requirements for obtaining a relevant residence permit here: Want to apply: Skilled workers - UDI.

If you have completed higher education or vocational training, you can apply for a residence permit as a sole proprietor with a company in Norway.

The company must normally be your own sole proprietorship. You can read more about the requirements for an appropriate residence permit here: Want to apply: Skilled workers - UDI.

Yes, an employer may apply for residence permit for skilled workers on the worker's behalf. The employer must have received written authorisation from the employee. More information is available on our pages about applying for work immigration.

Please note that if you are an employee applying yourself, you may apply for a simplified renewal of your residence permit using an eID without attending an appointment in person.

For applications for a residence permit for skilled workers, an employer may apply on the worker's behalf. The employer must have received written authorisation from the employee.

When submitting the application, the employer may submit the relevant documents electronically.

The following procedure is for employers, clients and persons granted power of attorney to represent an employer, applying on behalf of an employee:

• Fill in and submit the application online.
• After you have submitted the application, send an email to the Service centre for foreign workers (SUA) (external website) or to your local police district.
• The police will send you an email via the address you provided in the application form. The email contains a DUF number and also serves to confirm that the application has been received. You need to wait until you receive the email before you upload the required documentation.

After you submit an application online, you will receive a list of the documents you need to hand in.

You can also find checklists here: Checklists for required documentation for applications.

If you have not yet received a diploma for your education, you can still apply for a residence permit as a skilled worker. You must attach a confirmation from your university or university college that you have completed your programme. You must also attach transcripts.

You do not need to register your company with the Brønnøysund Register Centre until after your application for a first-time residence permit as a sole proprietor has been approved.

If you already live in Norway, you can register the company before applying. However, you cannot start working unless you have a residence permit that allows self-employment. Registering a company alone is not sufficient – you also need the correct residence permit.

If you are an employee applying yourself, you may apply for a simplified renewal of your residence permit using an eID without attending an appointment in person.

Normally, work immigrants from countries outside the EU/EEA cannot start working until they have been granted a residence permit. However, it is permitted to start working if you have received confirmation from the police (early employment start). Information about Early employment start - UDI.

The service centres for foreign workers (SUA) in Bergen, Oslo, Stavanger and Trondheim will not provide confirmation of early employment start.

Please contact the police (external website) if you have any questions about how long you will have to wait for the police to confirm your early employment start or about how they administer the early employment start scheme.

You can find waiting times on our website: Waiting time – UDI.

Our waiting times are estimates that are updated once a month. Your waiting time may change while your application is in with UDI. If so, the new waiting time we indicated will override any waiting time you were informed of previously. 

The UDI employees responding to phone and chat enquiries have no further information about waiting times than what is already available on our waiting time page. Consequently, there is no need to contact us if your question is about the waiting time for your case.

Very few applications are given priority. To request priority, send us both a detailed explanation as to why you want priority and supporting documentation, such as a doctor’s certificate.

Further information is available on our Can I request priority? – UDI page.

Priority will not be given if the only reason you state is that you need to start work urgently or travel abroad for work.

1. You must apply at a Norwegian embassy.
2. Fill out the entry visa (D-visa) application. Visit the Entry visas (D-visas) page for further information.
3. If you haven't already submitted your application for a residence permit, you must now submit all the documents on the checklist for skilled workers.
4. It is the embassy that processes your application for an entry visa. If your application is rejected, you can submit a written appeal. The embassy will then reconsider your application. If the embassy does not reverse the decision, it will forward the case to UDI. UDI will then process the application again and either reject or grant it.

• If you do not need a visa to visit Norway, you can enter Norway before you have received an answer to you application.
• If you need a visa, you must wait until you have received an answer to your application before you can enter Norway.

• If you do not need a visa to visit Norway or if you have a valid visa, you can enter Norway and stay here until your application has been decided, even if your visa or the visa-free period expires in the meantime. 
• If you need a visa to visit Norway and the police have given your employer confirmation that you can start working before you application has been processed (early employment start scheme), a Norwegian embassy or consulate will issue you an entry visa. You can then stay in Norway until you have received an answer to your application.
• If you do need a visa to visit Norway and your employer has not been given confirmation of early employment start, you are required to apply for an entry visa for skilled workers. If you are granted an entry visa, you can enter Norway and stay here until you have received an answer to your application. Visit the Entry visas (D-visas) page for the digital application form and further information.

When you receive a decision letter from UDI that you have been granted a residence permit for work, the letter also stipulates a deadline for you to enter Norway.

You may extend the entry deadline if there are extenuating circumstances preventing you from travelling to Norway by the deadline, and provided that the same job offer for which you were granted the residence still stands. The entry deadline will usually be extended by up to six months.

If you no longer have the same job offer, you will have to apply for a new residence permit for your most recent job offer.

How to request an extended entry deadline

When applying to extend your entry deadline, you must explain why you cannot enter Norway by the originally stipulated deadline.

In many cases, UDI will ask you to provide documentation for the circumstances behind your delay. For example, if you cannot meet the entry deadline due to the corona situation you will be required to provide documentation to attest for illness or for travel restrictions affecting you.

You must contact UDI by phone to apply for an extended entry deadline. Based on your explanation, we will assess whether you are eligible for an entry deadline extension, and we will advise you as to which documentation you should provide.

If you are granted an extended entry deadline, the embassy will contact you for you to obtain a new entry visa with a new entry deadline.

Some people must be tested for tuberculosis when they come to Norway.

You must get tested if

• you come from a country with a high incidence of tuberculosis. This means that your country is on The Norwegian Institute of Public Health's list of countries with high and very high incidence of tuberculosis (external website), and
• you are going to stay in Norway for more than three months

What should you do to test yourself?

If you are required to be tested for tuberculosis, you must contact the municipality where you will live. The municipality carries out the testing. You must test yourself as soon as possible after arrival to Norway.

If you have been granted a residence permit that gives you the right to work, you can start working when you have met with the police, and the police have ordered a residence card for you.

There can be long waiting times with the police to order a residence card. Even if you have not yet received a residence card, you can start studying or working now if you have been granted a residence permit that gives you the right to study or work, and you have booked an appointment with the police to order a residence card. This will not have any consequences for you.

If it is impossible to book an appointment with the police, you must contact UDI by phone or email to report that you are in Norway and starting to study or work. You must still meet with the police to order a residence card when possible.

Please read this message about how you can document that you have legal residence in Norway while waiting for your residence card.

Your decision letter from UDI states what type of work you can do and, if relevant, the employer you will be working for.

If you start working for a new employer but work in the same type of position, you do not need to apply for a new residence permit.

If you are going to start a new type of position, you must apply for a new residence permit, regardless of whether it is with the same employer or a new employer. You cannot start working in a new kind of position until you receive a new residence permit.

No, if you have a residence permit as a skilled worker with an employer in Norway you are not allowed to start your own company.

With a residence permit as a skilled worker with an employer in Norway, you are not allowed to:

• conduct business activity / run a business
• work as a freelancer
• carry out assignments for clients

No, if you have a residence permit as a skilled worker with an employer in Norway you cannot take work as a freelancer.

With a residence permit as a skilled worker who is employed in Norway, you are not allowed to:

• conduct business activity / run a business
• work as a freelancer
• carry out assignments for clients

You are allowed to study if you work in accordance with, and continue to meet, all conditions for your residence permit as a skilled worker.

• Your decision letter from UDI will state whether your residency under this permit counts as part of the requirement for a permanent residence permit.
• See the requirements for a permanent residence permit.

If you lose your job, you need to notify the police where you live within seven days. You can then stay in Norway for up to six months to look for a new job. Your residence permit must still be valid for the duration of this period.

• If you get a new job and will be working in the same type of position as before, you do not need to apply for a new residence permit. However, you must notify the police where you live within seven days of starting the new job.
• If you get a new job but are going to have a different type of position than before, you must apply for a new residence permit. You cannot start in the new position until you have been granted a new residence permit.
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If you are temporarily laid off, you can stay in Norway as long as your residence permit (skilled worker with an employer in Norway) is valid.

You do not need to notify UDI or the police. 

You are entitled to different types of healthcare (external website) depending on your situation.

If you move from Norway before your residence permit has expired, you can notify us. UDI can revoke (cancel) you permit from the date you leave Norway. This may be in your interest, because you then will be able to document to other Schengen-countries that you no longer have a residence permit in Norway. If you apply for a visitor’s visa to another Schengen country while you still hold a valid residence permit in Norway, you can risk not being granted a visitor’s visa.

How to notify us:

1. Write a letter and explain that you have moved from Norway. Ask UDI to revoke the rest of your residence permit. Write the date you left Norway and your postal address abroad.

2. Remember to write your full name, and your DUF-number or your Norwegian national identity number.

3. Sign the letter.

4. Send the signed letter by mail or upload the letter to UDI through the form for sending additional documents to UDI.

In some cases, you may lose your residence permit.

Losing a permit means that UDI has decided to revoke your residence permit, making it invalid. If your permit is revoked, you will either no longer be allowed to live in Norway or you will be granted a new residence permit and your residence period in Norway will restart.

There may be different reasons why you lose your residence permit, for example, if you:

• do not receive the payment stated in your job offer
• live outside of Norway for more than a total of six months in one year
• work more than what is stated in your employment contract, or work less than what is stated in your employment contract

Here you will find more information about revoking a residence permit.

You can find information on how to appeal a decision by UDI here.